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Archive for December, 2024

Chicago Tribune features  Barrington Hills 6-bedroom home with elevator, in-ground pool: $2.8M

Posted in Chicago Tribune, Real Estate on December 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

(Ryan Hansen/Hapi Photography)

Address: 280 Otis Road, Barrington Hills
Price: $2,795,000
Listing date: Nov. 27, 2024

This six-bedroom home has six full bathrooms, one half-bathroom, hardwood floors, an elevator and an in-ground pool. The kitchen is equipped with white quartz countertops, custom cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. The living room features a coffered ceiling, and the formal dining room has wainscoting and custom built-ins. The family room has a beamed ceiling and a stone fireplace. The primary suite on the main level offers a fireplace, a private balcony and an en suite bathroom. A heated four-stall garage with a lift completes this home.

(Ryan Hansen/Hapi Photography)

(Ryan Hansen/Hapi Photography)

(Ryan Hansen/Hapi Photography)

More photos here.

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Nearly 300 new Illinois laws take effect in 2025

Posted in Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes, Unions on December 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Nearly 300 new laws will take effect in Illinois in 2025. | Capitol News Illinois photo be Andrew Adams

By Ben Szalinski | Capitol News Illinois

Time to study up, Illinois. When the clock hits midnight on New Year’s Day, 293 new state laws will take effect.

Those include some of the defining bills of the 2024 legislative session and others that will change how people get IDs, evaluate job postings and even cancel gym memberships.

In addition to the laws taking effect on Jan. 1, the state’s minimum wage will rise to $15 to complete a ramp up initiated during Gov. JB Pritzker’s first month in office in 2019.

Digital driver’s licenses

The secretary of state can begin creating a process to issue digital driver’s licenses and state IDs beginning in the new year after Pritzker signed House Bill 4592. Residents will still be required to receive a physical ID and agencies or private entities will not be required to accept digital IDs in place of physical IDs.

Providing a phone to police to show a digital ID also doesn’t give police consent to search a person’s cell phone.

Salary transparency

Employers with 15 or more employees must include information about benefits and the salary range on job postings, according to House Bill 3129. The law will also apply to businesses hiring for remote work positions in Illinois.

“When employers aren’t transparent about pay, gender and racial wage gaps widen, costing women and people of color valuable compensation,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in a news release. “Illinois’ new Pay Transparency law is a resounding win for the working people who call our state home.”

‘Junk’ health insurance

Short-term, limited duration health insurance plans will be illegal in Illinois beginning Jan. 1. The plans, often called “junk insurance” by critics, do not meet the minimum standards of the federal Affordable Care Act.

The ban outlined in House Bill 2499 was part of Pritzker’s health insurance overhaul that lawmakers passed in the spring. It was aimed at reducing barriers to care for patients and making health care more affordable by expanding coverage requirements for insurance companies.

Short-term insurance plans are typically for people who have a lapse in health insurance coverage such as when they lose or change jobs, but they are different from COBRA benefits, which most employers are required to offer under federal law. Supporters of the bill argued the plans are deceptive and stick consumers with huge out-of-pocket costs, but others said the plans provide consumers with an affordable option to fill a gap in coverage.

Caregiver discrimination

House Bill 2161 adds family responsibilities to the list of categories protected from discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. The new law prevents employers from taking adverse action against employees because of their responsibilities as a caregiver for a family member, which could cause them to miss work.

Bill sponsor Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, told a House committee in April that pregnant women are a good example of who the bill is designed to help. He said pregnant women shouldn’t be passed up for a promotion or face other consequences at work in anticipation that they will be taking time off to care for their baby. Guzzardi stressed the bill does not protect employees who fail to meet job performance requirements.

AI regulations

New laws governing artificial intelligence take effect Jan. 1. It will be illegal to generate child pornography using AI, according to House Bill 4623. Supporters of the bill, including the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, said it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between real and AI-generated images. They said updating Illinois’ child pornography laws was a necessary to step allow law enforcement to identify and prosecute child pornography cases.

House bill 4875 also adds new protections to prohibit using AI to recreate a person’s voice, image or likeness for commercial purposes without the person’s consent. Recording artists can seek damages for violations of the law.

Politics and religion at work

Employees can’t be required to sit through work meetings discussing religion or politics starting Jan. 1. Senate Bill 3649, an initiative of the Illinois AFL-CIO, creates new protections for employees who skip out on such meetings and prevents employers from retaliating against them.

The law does not prohibit discussing religion or politics at work, but employees are not required to participate in the discussions if such activities are not part of their job. The law excludes non-profit and advocacy groups where politics or religion may be part of job.

Read more here.

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Gov. Pritzker was and remains part of the coverup of Biden’s mental decline

Posted in Deception, Elections, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, The Chicago Way, Uncategorized on December 23, 2024| 1 Comment »

“This is the biggest scandal in America. And the level and volume of people who dedicated themselves to lying to everyone at home about this man’s condition for four-straight years up through this summer is breathtaking.” 

-Scott Jennings, CNN

By: Mark Glennon*

National stories abound this week about the concerted effort by media, the White House and Democratic officials lying to cover up Pres. Biden’s impaired mental capacity. Much of the commentary was sparked by a detailed Wall Street Journal report based on fifty interviews of people in or close to the White House. You can read it  here and see that Jennings’ comment above is no exaggeration. The coverup was there from the start, even while Biden was Obama’s vice president.

High among the guilty is one who remained steadfast and outspoken throughout Biden’s term in denying Biden’s impairment and claiming firsthand knowledge that Biden was fine. That’s Gov. JB Pritzker, who served as a Biden proxy during his candidacy.

Among comments Pritzker made:

“I’ve been with the President of the United States many times,” Pritzker said in February. “He is on the ball. The man knows more than most of us have forgotten.”

“Of course,” answered Pritzker when asked in July if Biden was “physically and mentally capable” of serving a second term.”

Pritzker resorted to smearing the special prosecutor who declined to prosecute Biden in part because of his mental condition, saying that a jury would see him as an “elderly man with a poor memory.” That was Robert Hur, an exceptionally well respected career prosecutor who reviewed the evidence and found that Biden had illegally taken possession of classified documents but was too frail to prosecute. “I smell a rat,” said Pritzker after Hur released his report, which included Hur’s conclusions about Biden’s conditions based on a deposition of Biden. “It was extremely unfair,” Pritzker said, for a Trump appointee, originally to the Department of Justice, to offer his own opinions about the mental acuity or age of the president of the United States.” In truth, there’s clearly nothing unfair about a prosecutor citing his reasons for believing that a jury would have found somebody too infirm to convict.

Pritzker even sought to make Biden’s age an asset, arguing that Biden had made age his “friend” and used his years to become “a gem of a human.” He went on: “I’ve thought a lot about why people care so much about age in this coming election, and I want to talk to you about it. We need to stop dismissing concerns about the physical age of a candidate, especially when that concern comes from a young person. Instead, what people are afraid of is the age of the candidates’ ideas,” he said.

Read more here.

*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.

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Columnist ignored the real ‘hatchet man’

Posted in Daily Herald, Letters to the Editor, Politics on December 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

In response to Jeff Robbins’ article on the Daily Herald’s opinion page of Dec. 19, I’d like to express my opinion. If the Daily Herald believes that “Facts Matter” as stated at the top of the page, why doesn’t the column by Jeff Robbins state who he is, a biased liberal Democratic lawyer? I would not have wasted my time reading his absurd opinion.

The headline caught my attention. “Kash as king: a hatchet man is coming to town.”

Of course, Mr. Robbins never states or acknowledges that the “hatchet man” Merrick Garland has been in town for almost four years. He came to town as the attorney general with a chip on his shoulder because the Republicans didn’t confirm him for the Supreme Court.

Come on, Daily Herald. Try to be unbiased and less deceptive. The silent majority doesn’t trust the legacy media and you wonder why.

Gerald L Hirsch
Barrington Hills

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Illinois is ending its 1% tax on groceries. Will your town replace it?

Posted in Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes on December 22, 2024| 2 Comments »

“This is not a tax cut,” state Rep. Martin McLaughlin, a Republican from Barrington Hills, said earlier this year. “It’s a political shell game.”

By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald

For the consumer, it amounts to 1% of the grocery bill.

But for suburban leaders, the repeal of the state grocery tax in January 2026 represents a loss of millions of dollars in revenues for their communities.

Because the tax is remitted to the communities where the sale occurred, those communities must now find a way to replace those funds, which pay for everything from roads to public safety.

In August, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill eliminating the sales tax on grocery items. The state suspended the tax for one in year in 2022, and Pritzker estimated its elimination would save shoppers $400 million annually statewide.

“Even with inflation cooling off every dollar counts, so I’m proud we’re doing what we can to make trips to the grocery store a little easier,” the governor said in a statement. “It’s one more important part of lifting the burden on Illinois families.”

But the state did open a window for municipalities to replace the state tax with a local 1% tax on groceries.

Thus far, many communities have been slow to respond.

Palatine is among the towns ahead of the curve. This month, village officials approved a 1% tax on groceries that begins in January 2026.

Village Manager Reid Ottesen said the loss of the tax from grocery stores including Mariano’s, Butera Market, Eurofresh Market, Aldi and Jewel-Osco, would cost Palatine between $1.25 and $1.5 million.

Shoppers at Butera in Palatine will still pay the 1% tax on groceries after a statewide tax sunsets in 2026 because the village enacted its own grocery tax recently. | Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com

“We constantly are doing long-range financial planning,” Otteson said. “We need to know what the future holds, and I didn’t feel comfortable going into 2025 not knowing whether we had this million and a half hole in the budget or not.”

Other communities that have followed suit, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue, include Bannockburn in Lake County and Burlington in Kane County.

However, since the state tax isn’t scheduled to end until 2026, other suburbs like Buffalo Grove are taking their time before creating a local tax. But it may be only a matter of time.

“The one thing that sort of drives our decision making is the economic incentive agreement that we have with Woodman’s (Food Market), because it’s tied to the grocery tax,” Village Manager Dane Bragg said.

Buffalo Grove receives about $1.4 million annually from the grocery tax.

Many suburban mayors, along with Republican lawmakers, have been critical of the state’s move to eliminate the tax, saying it ultimately won’t ease the burden on taxpayers.

“This is not a tax cut,” state Rep. Martin McLaughlin, a Republican from Barrington Hills, said earlier this year. “It’s a political shell game.”

Barrington Village President Karen Darch said her village stands to lose $600,000.

“That is the road program for this year,” she said in March. “But for somebody spending $150 on groceries, it’s a savings for them of $1.50. That insignificant amount for one person shopping becomes a huge amount for all of our communities.”

Read more here.

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Illinois population grows in 2024 DESPITE 56K residents leaving for other states

Posted in Illinois Policy Institute, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Topics Of Interest, Uncategorized on December 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

A massive influx of 112,955 international migrants boosted Illinois population in 2024, new Census Bureau data shows. Buses from Texas likely grew Illinois’ population

By Bryce Hill | Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois’ population grew by 67,899 residents from July 2023-June 2024, according to estimates released Dec. 19 by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Illinois may have Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to thank: He shipped migrants by bus and plane to Chicago and other sanctuary cities to relieve the border crisis.

This marks the first time in 11 years the Census Bureau has estimated the population has grown for the state of Illinois – though this data release revised previous figures for 2023 to show growth that year as well.

The new data shows after nine consecutive years of population decline, Illinois’ population grew in 2023 and 2024

The reason Illinois was able to buck the near-decade trend of population decline was because of a massive influx of international migrants in 2023 and 2024. Chicago counted over 51,000 migrants being sent to the city, with total statewide international migration over double that figure in the census estimate.

Illinois continues to see a natural increase in population as births outpace deaths, but by an increasingly narrow margin – adding only 11,012 residents during the year. International migration added 112,955 new residents – 10 times more than what the state received in 2021 and nearly five times what the state gained on average from 2010-2020 before the pandemic.

Domestic migration saw the state shed 56,235 residents as the state continues to push people to other states with high taxation, a poor job market and housing issues.

During the past two years, Illinois has received a massive influx of immigrants, particularly in Chicago. The city has been the center of heated political debate between public leaders and residents over financial and other resources being used for newcomers after local minority and low-income residents have said their needs have been neglected for decades. The latest Census Bureau estimates confirm the extent of international migration to the state during the past several years, while raising questions of the sustainability of this trend.

Read more here.

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(For those of a certain age) WGN host Frazier Thomas made Christmas magical for Chicago kids

Posted in Nostalgia, Topics Of Interest on December 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

“Garfield Goose and Friends” host Frazier Thomas with puppets Garfield Goose and Beauregard Burnside III, with Thomas son Jeff, 5, behind the camera at WGN-TV studios in 1958. | Chicago Tribune historical photo

By Michael Peregrine | Chicago Tribune

Among the scores of celebrated Christmas characters whose memories enrich the holiday spirit, one is truly unique to Chicago. He was real, not fictional, and is best remembered as the daily chronicler of seasonal excitement for several generations of young local television viewers. And to him, it was a high calling.

The local institution that was Frazier Thomas began his career, humbly, as a magician and transitioned to radio and television work in Cincinnati. In the early 1950s, he found TV work in Chicago, first with CBS affiliate WBBM-Ch. 2 and then with the independent WGN-Ch. 9. In 1955, he began hosting a unique afternoon cartoon show that was to turn into a lifetime gig for him and a television classic for Chicago children.

The show, “Garfield Goose and Friends,” featured the puppet Garfield Goose, who fancied himself as the “King of the United States.” The show’s set was modeled after a medieval castle. Wearing a silly uniform festooned with epaulets and medals, Thomas doubled as the show’s host and as Garfield’s “prime minister” and admiral of his navy.

Other puppet characters included Romberg Rabbit, Macintosh Mouse and Beauregard Burnside III. Primitive cartoons such as “Clutch Cargo” and “Diver Dan” were displayed through the “Little Theater Screen,” roughly the size of an Etch A Sketch. Thomas often mixed regal chatter with simple moral lessons for the royal court and also for the children watching at home.

But it was Thomas’ treatment of the Christmas season that particularly endeared him to the kids of Chicago. The big buildup would begin in early December, with the repetitive showing of low-tech holiday cartoons such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Hardrock, Coco and Joe” and “Suzy Snowflake.” Other Christmas content came from appearances by Garfield’s “cousin,” “Chris(tmas) Goose.”

He would supplement this with annual showings of “Miracle on 34th Street” and “A Christmas Carol” (the scary black-and-white version) on his “Family Classics” program on Sunday afternoons.

But things would come to a fever pitch with Thomas’ breathless radar reports from the North Pole as the days wound down to Christmas Eve. Santa’s sleigh was being tracked! He’s on his way! It was the television version of a Christmas sugar high for Chicago kids, guaranteed to make them stay up well past their Christmas Eve bedtimes.

When “Garfield Goose and Friends” ended after 21 years, Thomas went on to host other memorable programming on WGN, never veering from his focus on children’s entertainment. Indeed, he died suddenly at age 66, the day after hosting an Easter Seals telethon.

All of that is cute, but prehistoric in today’s sophisticated digital world. What’s the big deal? Did Thomas shape laws? Cure diseases? Climb mountains? Win championships? No. But of those who have, it’s a fair bet that some of them grew up watching Thomas — especially at Christmas.

For during the long run of “Garfield Goose,” Thomas brought home the joy of Christmas to thousands of young viewers. Indeed, for many Chicagoans age 60 and older, those wonderful things that were “Frazier Thomas and friends” remain the kind of wonderful things that we remember all through our lives.

Thomas, the man who spent a career talking to puppets, made a difference. And in the spirit of the season, that’s worth remembering — that those who affect the lives of others come in all shapes, sizes and flavors and reflect the widest range of motivations.

Some of them may be driven to achieve greatness, some to achieve wealth and fame, some to serve society, and some may be comfortable serving the smallest of niches, such as entertaining children. But kids aren’t very good at saying thanks.

Which brings us back to the holiday season. To paraphrase some Henry Mancini lyrics, it’s a time when we pause to reflect upon the good things. And we think about those people who’ve meant so much to us and for so many years have made us so very happy. And we count the times we’ve forgotten to say thank you.

Thank you, Frazier Thomas.

– Michael Peregrine is a Chicago attorney. He resists the urge to converse with geese.

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These offbeat, intriguing laws will hit Illinois’ books in 2025

Posted in FUBAR, Politics, Springfield, Topics Of Interest on December 20, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Illinois US state law, legal system and justice concept with a 3D rendering of a gavel on Illinoisan flag.

NBC Chicago

There are plenty of new Illinois laws that will impact residents in 2025, but there are some bills hitting the books that you may not expect.

Technology took center stage on several pieces of legislation. A new bill, HB 4875, makes it illegal to create digital replicas of individuals via generative Artificial Intelligence without the person’s consent for commercial purposes.

Virtual currencies like Bitcoin are also now accounted for under the state’s laws concerning unclaimed property thanks to SB 3343, which allows the state treasurer to pay custodial fees for the currency and specific types of securities.

Motorcyclists will be happy to know that under the terms of HB 4966 a large selection of new specialty license plates, including organ donor awareness plates, pet-friendly plates, and support our troops plates, will now be available for their rides.

Numerous laws impacting consumers will also go into effect. SB 2625 impacts retailers who sell alcoholic products, as those beverages that are “hard” versions of typically non-alcoholic offerings can not be positioned near their non-alcoholic counterparts.

If you go to a concert or sporting event at a venue that holds at least 3,500 people, you’ll also notice that the venue will be required to offer the opportunity to compost organic waste and to collect recyclable materials, thanks to the provisions of SB 2876.

Here are some other interesting laws hitting the books in 2025:

HB 0307 – Athletes in Illinois can now earn NIL compensation directly from universities, and media and residents will be prohibited from obtaining information on how much athletes make in private deals.

HB 1742 – Allows the Regional Transportation Authority to donate locomotives and other equipment to museums and not-for-profit corporations.

HB 4255 – Tow trucks can use green flashing lights while at emergency scenes.

HB 4351 – Cook County residents can hire private process servers rather than being legally required to use sheriff’s deputies for that purpose.

HB 5488 – Illinois will establish a task force aimed at creating a legacy tree recognition program.

HB 5640 – Adds the U.S. Space Force to any reference to the armed forces or armed services of the United States within Illinois laws.

SB 0331 – Requires public universities and community colleges to pay employees their regular pay if campus is closed due to a winter weather emergency.

SB 2747 – Changes the Illinois Exotic Weeds Act, requiring the Department of Natural Resources to maintain a list of exotic weeds, and to allow it to issue permits to buy, sell, or distribute the plants.

SB 3173 – Counties can lease, license or grant access to infrastructure like fiber optic cables to public or private entities if it helps expedite the delivery of broadband service.

SB 3407 – Makes changes pertaining to deer meat processing to expand the availability of charitable donations.

SB 3592 – Demands increased transparency in the sale of local media outlets, and creates a journalism scholarship program through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

Source

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Things to do Dec. 20-26: ‘The Nutcracker,’ Christmas concerts, light shows and more

Posted in Chicago Botanic Garden, Entertainment on December 20, 2024| Leave a Comment »

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald

Friday, Dec. 20

“The Nutcracker”: 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20, and 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21-22, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $20-$32. rauecenter.org.

Judith Svalander Ballet School’s “The Nutcracker”: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21; and 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock. Experience Clara’s magical journey with Svalander’s ballet company. $31-$51. woodstockoperahouse.com.

Saturday, Dec. 21

Presto! Holiday Concert: 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Schaumburg’s award-winning youth orchestra is joined by the ensembles of the Schaumburg Choral Program in a program of seasonal music. $20-$30. ci.ovationtix.com/35209/production/1204355.

Ruth Page’s “The Nutcracker”: 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at the College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $15-$28. ruthpage.org.

The Illinois Brass Band will perform its annual “Holiday Classics” concert on Saturday, Dec. 21, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles. | Courtesy of Illinois Brass Band

Illinois Brass Band “Holiday Classics”: 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles. The program includes traditional carols, holiday fanfares, classics and jazzy updates of Christmas favorites. $15; $5 for ages 18 and younger; $35 per family of two adults and up to four kids. illinoisbrassband.org.

Bagpipes & Bonfire on Winter Solstice: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at Peck Farm Park shelter, 4038 Kaneville Road, Geneva. The Winter Solstice event includes a bonfire, a bagpipe show and a hot beverage. Kids must be accompanied by a registered adult. $10-$15 for adults; $5-$7 for kids. Register at genevaparks.org.

Sunday, Dec. 22

Home for the Holidays: A Musical Celebration with Barrington High School Alumni & Friends: 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main St., Barrington. Holiday music. $20. barringtonswhitehouse.com.

Scott Smith’s All Animal Expo: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at the Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. Bimonthly show that hosts vendors from the Midwest. $3-$8. allanimalexpo.com.

Illinois Brass Band “Holiday Classics”: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at First United Methodist Church, 1903 E. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights. The program features traditional carols, holiday fanfares, holiday classics and jazzy updates of Christmas favorites. $15; $5 for ages 18 and younger; $35 per family of two adults and up to four kids. illinoisbrassband.org.

Northwest Symphony Orchestra’s “Messiah” Sing-A-Long: 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at First Presbyterian Church, 302 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights. Join members of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra in its performance of “Part 1 Messiah” and concluding with “Hallelujah Chorus.” Soloists will perform and there will be chorus interludes that include audience participation. Freewill offering appreciated. northwestsymphony.org.

Monday, Dec. 23

Ed Hall’s Woodstock Christmas Guitar Night: 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock. A holiday tradition returns in honor of Ed Hall. Three internationally acclaimed musicians will present an evening of arrangements for the guitar, as well as popular holiday favorites. $35-$40. woodstockoperahouse.com.

Ongoing

Long Grove Vintage Holidays: Through Tuesday, Dec. 24, in downtown Long Grove. Holiday walk, horse-drawn carriage rides on weekends, Santa in the village, caroling around town and more. longgrove.org/festival/holiday-season.

Santa House: 5-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 19-20; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21; and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, in the Brink Street Market, Crystal Lake. Visit with Santa Claus. downtowncl.org/events.

Santa at Fashion Outlets of Chicago: 2 p.m. daily through Tuesday, Dec. 24, at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago, 5220 Fashion Outlets Way, Rosemont. Visit with Santa. fashionoutletsofchicago.com.

Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic: 3-9 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, Dec. 19-22, and Thursday through Tuesday, Dec. 26-31, at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, 8400 31st St., Brookfield. Features over 2 million twinkling LED lights, themed lighting areas, Santa visits through Sunday, Dec. 22, Holiday Market, treats and sips and seasonal attractions. Zoo admission and parking fees apply. Advance tickets are required. brookfieldzoo.org//HolidayMagic.

Stroll through an array of illuminated displays through Jan. 5 at Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. | Courtesy of the Chicago Botanic Garden

Lightscape: 4:30-9:15 p.m. select dates through Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Take a nighttime stroll through illuminated displays. $32 for members, $34 for nonmembers for adults; $17/$19 for kids 3-12 in advance; $37/$39 for adults, $22/$24 for kids the day of. chicagobotanic.org/lightscape.

ZooLights: Time slots start at 4:30 p.m. select dates through Sunday, Jan. 5, at Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago. More than 3 million lights, including hundreds of luminous LED displays and festive experiences. $7-$10; free on select Mondays. lpzoo.org/event/zoolights.

Joffrey Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”: 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 and 6 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 27, plus 2 p.m. Thursdays, Dec. 19 and 26, Tuesday, Dec. 24, and Saturday, Dec. 28, at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. $36-$187. joffrey.org.

Steve Connell plays Ebenezer Scrooge in the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre’s production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” | Courtesy of the Metropolis Performing Arts Center and Jen Heim Photography

“A Christmas Carol”: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 19-20; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21; and 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Appropriate for ages 5 and older; kids 3 and younger will not be permitted. $20-$45. metropolisarts.com/event/christmas-carol-2024.

Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas”: 8 p.m. Fridays; 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 1 and 5 p.m. Sundays; 1 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, through Dec. 29, at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. Showbiz buddies and military comrades Bob Wallace and Phil Davis stage a winter pageant to save a struggling Vermont inn owned by their old commanding officer. Ticket prices start at $63. marriotttheatre.com.

Find more here.

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Barrington plans to spend big to transform village infrastructure

Posted in BACOG on December 19, 2024| Leave a Comment »

By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald

The new year promises to be a major one for construction projects in Barrington.

More than $13.2 million is budgeted for capital improvements. That’s nearly $5 million more than the village expects to spend on capital improvements this year, and a significant amount for a village that has a $50 million annual operating budget.

One big-ticket item is an upgrade to the village’s wastewater treatment facility located at 302 N. Raymond Ave., behind the public works garage.

The plant treats an average of 2.5 million gallons of wastewater per day and more than 900 million gallons per year.

Construction could start in late 2025 and take more than two years.

Public Works Director Fred Braun said the village will apply for a low-interest loan from the state for the project, which is currently estimated to cost $45 million. More concrete figures will emerge once the design is complete.

“We’re pretty confident that we’re a really strong candidate for the (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency) loan, but a lot of it hinges on what other projects are being submitted from other municipalities,” he said.

In 2025, the village plans to spend more than $2.5 million on wastewater and water facility improvements as well as designs for upgrades, according to budget documents.

Read more here.

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